Latest news with #VietnamVeteransMemorial
American Press
27-07-2025
- American Press
Traveling tribute to Vietnam veterans coming to Allen Parish
A traveling tribute to Vietnam veterans is coming to Allen Parish just before Veterans Day. The American Veterans Traveling Tribute, a powerful replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be on display from Nov. 3-7 next to the Inn at Coushatta on U.S. 165 in Kinder. The 8-foot-high, 360-foot-long replica wall serves as a moving tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War, offering visitors a chance to honor the fallen and reflect on their sacrifices. The wall features over 58,000 names of those who died or are missing in action. Six Allen Parish veterans are among the names listed on the wall. 'The goal is to educate our children about the Vietnam War and remember those who didn't return home,' Allen Parish Tourist Director Adagria Haddock said. The memorial also aims to support veterans and their families, especially those unable to visit the D.C. memorial. 'I look forward to being able to educate people, honor our veterans and have people see that freedom is not free,' she said. 'These people gave their lives for us to be able to do what we do in America.' This marks the third time a replica of the wall has visited Allen Parish. Preparations for the wall's visit have been ongoing since February, and the community is invited to participate through various sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. Volunteers are especially needed to guide and escort visitors, including school groups, who are encouraged to visit the wall as an educational experience. Schoolchildren will have the opportunity to select a Louisiana soldier's name from the wall online, print their picture and information, and then write a card to be placed with a silk rose below the soldier's name on the wall. They can also create rubbings of the names. In addition to the main memorial wall, the display will include a 'Cost of Freedom Wall,' a 72-panel exhibit listing all wars, including the 9/11 attack, and the names of fallen soldiers. A Vietnam War museum featuring information and memorabilia will also be on display. Veterans resource service personnel will also be available to assist veterans with medical help, benefits, disability claims, education opportunities, mental health, VA eligibility, and other healthcare needs. The tribute wall will be set up on Saturday, Nov. 1, and will be open to the public 24 hours a day from 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, through Friday, Nov. 7. On Sunday, Nov. 2, a parade featuring motorcycles and antique cars will travel north along U.S. 165 to the site, followed by a brief ceremony. Former Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs secretary Joey Strickland, (retired U.S. Air Force colonel) will be the keynote speaker during an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3. A candlelight vigil honoring Louisiana soldiers whose names are on the wall will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Retired Colonel Charlton Meginley, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, will be guest speaker. Wednesday, Nov. 5 will be Agent Orange Awareness Day. Agent orange medals will be awarded to those veterans affected by Agent Order. 'If a veteran in Vietnam was affected by Agent Orange, they need to call us and fill out an application with their name, address, and the way they were affected,' Haddock said. Thursday, Nov. 6 will be Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day and Florence Nightingale Day, honoring the eight nurses' whose names appear on the wall. Katrina Lloyd, the state surgeon for the Louisiana National Guard, will be the guest speaker. A closing ceremony titled 'Let Freedom Ring' will conclude the wall's visit at 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7. The visit is sponsored by the Louisiana Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215 and the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and Allen Parish Tourism Commission. All events are free and open to the public. Schools interested in planning visits can contact Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215 President Mike Breaux at 337-523-1593. For those wishing to volunteer or apply for an Agent Orange medal, contact Haddock at 337-401-1315 or the Allen Parish Tourism Commission at 337-639-4868.
Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Antioch hosting Vietnam Veterans Memorial ‘Wall That Heals'; ‘This is simply a very hard and touching honor to pay tribute to them'
'The Wall That Heals' is a three-quarter-scale replica modeled after the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the Nation's Capital. Like the original, its panels are inscribed with the names of 58,261 U.S Armed Forces members who were killed or went missing during the war. Seeing the chevron-shaped monument at the Tim Osmond Sports Complex in Antioch was nothing short of impactful to many in attendance. Even more so, when illuminated at night. 'This means a great deal to me for several reasons, as one of my very best friends and several others I know who gave their lives are on this wall,' Steve MacInnes said. 'This wall is a symbol for Vietnam veterans who are not forgotten, and who will always be remembered.' Opening ceremonies were held on Thursday morning. The memorial is situated on the football field at 39 Depot Street until Sunday, and is open for viewing around the clock. The Vietnam Memorial Fund administers the schedule for the exhibit, now in its 30th year. The municipality was selected as one of 31 hosting locations in 2025, from a pool of 163 communities that applied for the exhibit. It was largely done through the application efforts of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and Barbara Porch, its executive director. 'The Antioch Chamber has been interested in hosting this for several years,' Porch said. 'The chamber applied in 2024, and was successful in being given this opportunity. We feel that Antioch is a perfect place because of the willingness of our residents, and those in the surrounding communities, to become involved. 'It is important for young people of today to look forward to the future, but equally important for them to look back and learn what our country experienced to bring us to the present day,' she said. 'There are so many things to learn about history. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is an outstanding salute to our veterans, and we hope young people learn by visiting.' The original memorial was designed by artist Maya Lin as two long black granite walls that are 246 feet each in a 'V' shape, cut into a bluff. The key feature is duplicated in its traveling counterpart, as the exhibit rises above visitors in walking toward the apex. Volunteers are on-site throughout the display's Antioch stay, acting as docents in guiding tours, while security is also provided. Visitors are encouraged to make rubbings from the indented names of family and friends on the panels. 'I'm the son of a Greatest Generation World War II combat veteran,' Michael Keshan, a site volunteer, said. 'Having friends who served in Vietnam and several who did not come home, this is simply a very hard and touching honor to pay tribute to them.' Chamber member and volunteer Cruzanne Lewis said, 'This is a tremendous undertaking by people giving time, who will be there all night … to be a presence and assist. There is also a strict decorum. They wore white gloves to install the panels, and they are set in a way that no car headlights will shine on the memorial.' MacInnis noted, 'This is constantly a reminder of a time that was not perhaps the best in our world, in our country. Yet, there isn't one Vietnam veteran who wouldn't tell you they weren't there for their brothers and sisters. They would do it again, if they had to do it.' A special ceremony, 'Eight Women On The Wall — A Nursing Tribute,' is scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday. Closing ceremonies are scheduled for 1:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local kids get history lesson from traveling Vietnam veterans memorial
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – A powerful tribute to fallen heroes is making a stop in the Mahoning Valley this weekend. The Wall that Heals — a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial — continues its mission of remembrance and education. It arrived in Warren this week, giving local residents a chance to honor those who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War. From noon to 3 p.m. Friday, families and students gathered for special programs focused on the importance of remembering this pivotal time in American History. 'Kids don't always get to learn about the Vietnam War. They don't get to know what the Vietnam vets went through when they came home, so just getting to sit down with them and talk to them while we're doing these things, saying, 'So what do you think about that wall up there? Do you know why it's so important?'' said Aimee Wehmeyer, director of the Warren Heritage Center. Organizers say the wall will remain in town through the weekend with other events planned to encourage reflection, education and healing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Wall that Heals' veterans memorial open for viewing
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — The Wall That Heals — a replica of Washington, DC's Vietnam Veterans Memorial — is now set up in Warren. A welcome home ceremony was held Thursday evening on the South Lawn of Packard Music Hall, where the wall is set up. Clusters of people walked and stopped along the wall, looking for the names of someone they knew who was killed during the Vietnam War. It will be available for people to view through Sunday. Taps will be played each night at sunset. 'It's an experience that kind of heals the community, heals the veterans who served, their friends and neighbors and family that don't get that opportunity to go and share and remember them the proper way,' said co-chairman Herm Breuer. Friday at 6 p.m., the nurses who served in Vietnam will be honored, then on Saturday at 2 p.m., there will be a Medal of Honor tribute. The closing ceremony is at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Vietnam vets' annual ceremony relocated from D.C. due to Army parade
Janet Zamora never had the chance to visit D.C. with her husband. They talked about it, longing to meander down the National Mall and see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial up close. But he was too sick to travel, she said, riddled with illness from exposure to Agent Orange during his five years with the Air Force in the Vietnam War. After he died in December, days after his 80th birthday, she applied for him to be part of a ceremony held at the memorial that annually honors hundreds of veterans who fought in the war and died after they came home. She'd go alone, for him.
